Shawn Craig elevated to Emirates International Panel of ICC Umpires

Cricket Australia (CA) National Umpire Panel member Shawn Craig has been elevated to the Emirates International Panel of ICC Umpires.

Since retiring from his First-Class playing career, which yielded 20 First-Class and 20 Domestic One-Day Cup matches for Victoria, Craig’s umpiring pathway commenced in the 2010-11 season in the Victorian Premier Cricket competition. He quickly rose through the ranks, making his First-Grade debut in the first round the following season. In 2012-13, Craig travelled to Tasmania to officiate in the Cricket Australia (CA) Under 19 Male National Championships before returning to the same tournament in 2013-14. During that particularly busy season, Craig stood in Toyota Futures League and WNCL fixtures.

Upon elevation to the CA National Umpire Panel in 2014-15, Craig officiated in the Under 19 International Series between Australia and England. In October 2014, he made his List-A Debut in the Domestic One-Day Cup match between New South Wales and Western Australia at Bankstown Oval. Two weeks later, Craig made his First-Class umpiring debut in the Sheffield Shield match between South Australia and Queensland at the Adelaide Oval. He achieved the treble of debuts that season, when he was also appointed on-field for his first KFC BBL match between the Sydney Sixers and Perth Scorchers at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Among Craig’s umpiring achievements include appointment to the 2013-14 WNCL final between New South Wales and Victoria and consecutive Rebel WBBL finals in 2015-16 and 2016-17. The following season, Craig was appointed on-field to the KFC BBL|07 final between the Adelaide Strikers and Hobart Hurricanes at the Adelaide Oval.

At the international level, Craig was most recently appointed on-field in the Rose Bowl Women’s International Series between Australia and New Zealand. Craig has also gained invaluable experience abroad taking part in the CA umpire exchange program. In February 2017, Craig travelled to New Zealand to officiate in the Plunkett Shield match between Northern Districts and Otago. In March last year, he was appointed to two SuperSport Series First-Class matches in South Africa and more recently travelled to India to stand in two Ranji Trophy matches.

Craig has 27 First-Class, 17 List-A and 38 KFC BBL matches to his name, with a further 16 appointments in the Third Umpire’s chair. In addition, Craig has stood in five Women’s One-Day Internationals and eight Women’s T20 Internationals. He joins Gerard Abood, Sam Nogajski and Paul Wilson on the Emirates International Panel of ICC Umpires Panel and is eligible for ICC international men’s matches for on-field duties in T20 International fixtures; on-field or Fourth Umpire duties in One-Day Internationals, and Fourth Umpire duties in Test Matches on Australian soil.

Craig’s elevation sees highly experienced South Australian umpire Simon Fry take a step back from men’s international cricket. Fry currently has seven Test Matches (seven as TV Umpire); 49 One-Day Internationals (20 as TV Umpire) and 19 T20 Internationals (12 as TV Umpire) currently to his name.